TAVISTOCK is a market town and parliamentary
borough, the principal of the union, deanery, and the hundred to
which it gives its name, containing, in 1861, 8965 inhabitants,
and13986A. Or. 20p.; in the archdeaconry of Totnes, diocese of
Exeter, Southe Devonshire, on the banks of the river Tavy, from
whence the name, 9 miles north-east from Callington, 14 south-east
from Launceston, 15 north from Plymouth, 23 west from Ashburton, 33
south-west from Exeter, and 210 from London, on the Launceston and
South Devon Railway, at which it has a station.

This was a prescriptive borough from a very
early period, and sent members to parliament in the reign of Edward
I., and continued to exercise the franchise uninterruptedly from the
reign of Edward III., returning two members to Parliament until the
passing of the Reform Bill of 1868, when it was restricted to one
member. It is a Parliamentary borough only, never having had
municipal privileges. The whole of the parish is included in the
borough with exception of the manor of Cudlippton, about 5 miles
north-east, and the portreeve is the returning officer.

During the wars between Charles I. and his
Parliament, Tavistock was considerably excited, as the Duke of
Bedford, with the celebrated Pym, one of the members for the borough,
and most of the burgesses declared for the Parliament, whilst the
neighbouring gentry continued true to the Crown; but the town does
not appear to have been garrisoned with the exception of Fitzford
House, at the west end of the town, the ancient seat of the
Grenvilles, which was taken by the Earl of Essex, with £3000 in
cash and 1000 stand of arms. During the blockading of Plymouth by the
Royalists several councils were held here by Prince Charles, and the
King passed through with hia army on his way to Cornwall.

An ABBEY was founded here in 961, by Orgar,
Earl of Devon, father of the beautiful Lady Elfrida, King Edgar's
Queen. It was noted as one of the most celebrated for learning, and
possessed a printing press, believed to be the second which was set
up in England. In 1514 the Abbot, Richard Banham, obtained for
himself and successors a seat in Parliament, and also a bull from
Pope Leo X., exempting the abbey from episcopal jurisdiction. On the
dissolution by Henry VIII. the revenues were valued at £902 5s.
7d. per annum, a very large sum in those days; and about 1539 it was
granted by that monarch to Lord John Russell, whose descendant, the
present Duke of Bedford, is now the owner. The 'Bedford Hotel'
comprises a portion of this once celebrated abbey, including the
refectory and other parts.

The GUILDHALL is a handsome edifice, erected in
1848 by the Duke of Bedford, on another portion of the abbey site,
and in imitation of the style of the original abbey. The ancient
gateway has been restored and is still preserved.

The DEVON and CORNWALL BANKING COMPANY have
recently erected a handsome building in West Street, as a branch
bank, in place of the old and inconvenient premises formerly occupied
by them. The new building forms one of a series of similar structures
that have been erected in the principal towns of the two western
counties, and combines a convenient residence for the manager, with
spacious apartments and offices for banking purposes. The works are
substantially executed, all the masonry being built in blue lias
mortar. The principal front (towards West Street) is of fine wrought
granite, the whole height of the lower or ground-floor story, and the
remainder of the front, is executed in wrought stone from Hurdwick
quarry, near Tavistock, the property of His Grace the Duke of
Bedford. The dressing to the windows and the parapet are of Portland
stone; all the front windows are glazed with polished plate glass,
and the lower windows are fitted with Clark and Co.'s iron revolving
shutters. The principal staircase and hall floor are laid with Maw
and Co.'s tiles, arranged in simple but tasteful designs. All the
wood-work of the staircase, and the best portions of the interior,
are executed principally in pitch pine, with a slight admixture of
wainscot. The whole of the works have been carried out by Mr. H.
Blatchford, of Tavistiock, from the designs and under the
superintendence of Mr. H. Elliott, of Plymoth, architect, at a total
cost of about £2000.

The DISPENSARY, supported by voluntary
contributions, is held in the Abbey Buildings.

This town is the centre of a considerable
mining district, and silver-lead, manganese, tin, copper, &c.,
are produced in great quantities.

The CHURCH is a large ancient edifice,
dedicated to St. Eustachius, consisting of nave, chancel, north and
two south ailes, chancel with ailes, and a tower containing a peal of
eight bells, and a clock with chimes playing every three hours. The
chancel contains an alabaster monument to the memory of Sir John
Glanville, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, who died in 1600.
The vicarage, in the incumbency of the Rev. John Osborne Tancock,
D.C.L., is valued at £302 per annum, with residence, and is in
the patronage of the Duke of Bedford, who is also impropriator of the
rectorial tithes.

ST. PAUL'S, at Gulworthy, is a district church,
which was erected by the Duke of Bedford, in 1854. The vicarage, in
the incumbency of the Rev. Daniel Pring Alford, M.A., is valued at
£150 per annum, with residence, and is in the patronage of the
Duke of Bedford.

A handsome church has also been erected by the
Duke of Bedford at the west end of the town; it is in the Romanesque
style, and consists of nave, chancel, north and south leah-to aisles,
with a noble detached tower; it will hold between 600 and 700 people,
and half the sittings are free. The total cost was about £12,000.
The rev. John Haley, M.A., is the curate.

The Unitarians have a place of worship in a
portion of the Old Abbey, formerly the Abbots' Hall, and the Bible
Christians, Independents, Plymouth Brethren, Socirty of Friends, and
the United Methodist Free Church have each places of worship here.

The GRAMMAR SCHOOL is a large and elegant
building, which was erected by the Duke of Bedford, in 1837, the
former Grammar School, which was part of the old vicarage premises,
having been taken down for the enlargement of the churchyard. The
Duke of Bedford allows £50 per annum to the head master, and
£30 per annum to each of the two assistant masters; and the head
master receives £4 per annum from the trustees of Ford Street
Charity. The pupils receive a good classical and general education
for five guineas per annum, and there is an exhibition of £50
per annum, called the Glanville Exhibition, for youths natives of the town.

KELLY COLLEGE is about to be established here.

There are National Schools for children of both
sexes, in the Dolvin Road, which were erected in 1847; and British
Schools were erected in Abbey Mead, by the Duke of Bedford, in 1856.

The poor have two extensive charitable
bequests, one left by Nicholas Watts, in 1674 which produces about
£300 per annum; it is vested in trustees, and the amount
distributed amongst the poor annually; and the Ford Street Charity,
which was purchased by the Duke of Bedford some years ago, who pays
£150 per annum to the trustees, which is also distributed for
charitable purposes.

The Duke of Bedford is lord of the manor, and
holds annual Courts Leet and Baron, at which a portreeve and other
officers are appointed.

The Market Buildings were erected by the Duke
of Bedford, in 1858, and extend over two acres of ground.

The Corn Market was erected in 1839. The Cattle
Market is held at Crelake, near the Railway Station.

The Market Days are on Tuesday and Friday, the
latter being the principal one for corn and general produce; and
cattle fairs are held on the second Wednesday in January, March, May,
July, September, October, and November, the third Wednesday in
August, and the first Wednesday in December. Races are held annually
in May.

Criper William, wholesale and family grocer, teadealer,
Italian warehouseman, agent for W. and A. Gilbey's wines, and to the
Provident Life and County Fire Office, and sub-stamp distributor, 6,
Duke street

Cross William, saddler and harness maker, West street

Cudlipp Ralph Brooking, solicitor and agent to the Standard
Life Assurance Company, Back street

Lidstone George H., watchmaker, jeweller, and silversmith, 78,
West street

Loam John, master of National Schools, Market street

Luke William, cabinet maker, Duke street

Luxmore James, butcher, Morwellham

Luxton Henry, solicitor, assistant clerk to the commissioners of
Income Tax, and deputy superintendent registrar (firm of Luxton and
Son), 2, Bedford place

Luxton Robert, solicitor (firm of Luxton and Son), clerk to the
magistrates for Tavistock division, clerk and superintendent
registrar of the Union, clerk to the Assessment Committee, the
Highway Board, and the Commissioners of Income Tax; commissioner in
Chancery, Common Law, and Stannary Courts, and perpetual commissioner
for taking acknowledgments of deeds by married women, 2, Bedford place

Tavistock and South Western Omnibus Company (Limited),
offices, Russell street, in connection with the London and South
Western Railway Company; daily communication with the Okehampton Road
Railway Station

Information of Public Men and Institutions
connected with the Town and County.

Post Office and Postal Telegraph Office, Abbey Bridge.

Edwin Straker, Postmaster.

Despatch of Letters.

Lines of Road and Chief Places of Destination

Letters, &c. can be posted

With single stamp until

With extra stamp until

Letters, &c. can be registered until

Plymouth, Devonport, and towns on the South Devon line of Railway...

North of England, Cornwall, Plymouth, Devonport, Ireland, and
Scotland ...

Launceston, Lifton, and Okehampton

London and all parts of the world ...

11.15 a.m.

11.55 a.m.

3.0 p.m.

5.50 p.m.

......

12 5 p.m.

......

6.15 p.m.

11.10 a.m.

11.40 a.m.

2.50 p.m.

5.0 p.m.

Delivery.

Lines of Road and Chief Place from which Mails are received.

Delivery Commences at

London and Ireland ... ...

North of England ... ...

Cornwall ... ...

Devonport ... ...

Plymouth, Bristol, Exeter ... ...

Launceston, Lifton, and Okehampton ...

7.55 a.m.

7.55 a.m.

7.55 a.m.

7.55 a.m.

7.55 a.m.

7.55 a.m.

.....

3.40 p.m.

3.40 p.m.

3.40 p.m.

3.40 p.m.

3.40 p.m.

6.35 p.m.

.....

.....

.....

6.35 p.m.

.....

Office hours during the week, from 7.15 a.m. to 8.0 p.m. On
Sundays, from 7.15 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. only, after which hour no
business is transacted with the public.

The Money Order, Post Office Savings Bank, and Government
Insurance and Annuities Offices are open from 9.0 a.m. to 5.20 p.m.;
and on Saturdays, in addition from 6.35 to 8.0 p.m.

The Letter Box in West Street is cleared daily (Sundays
excepted), at 5.20 p.m. By paying a late fee of 4d., letters can be
registered up to the closing of the box. Letters for the country
villages can be posted up to 7.15 a.m.

There is only one delivery in the morning on Sundays, and one
dispatch at 4.55 p.m.

The magistrates meet at theGuildhall fortnightly, on Wednesdays, at
11 a.m.; and Petty Sessions have been fixed under the Criminal
Justice Act, for every day in the year (except Sundays, Good Friday,
and Christmas day)